| Arsenic and Old Lace Pictures and Reviews |
| A Review By Edward Jordon Now…I have to state right off the bat that it takes a skilled director and talented cast to pull off “Arsenic and Old Lace.� To be perfectly honest, I was more than a little reluctant to attend the production at the Octagon Arts Center. Well! Something wondrous happened the moment I entered the performance space! I saw a set that instantaneously transported me to a different place and time. This wasn’t Clearwater in 2005. This was Brooklyn in 1941. The performance hadn’t even begun and I already knew that I would be spending a memorable afternoon in the company of some dear old friends, the “Brewster family.� Under the artful direction of Trish Dempsey, the talented troop of players made this golden oldie of a show every bit “the cat’s meow� and “the bees’ knees� it was intended to be. I could not find a single weak link in the entire cast. Director Trish Dempsey imbued the production with just the right blend of screwiness, darker-than-dark comedy, and sweetness. Her outstanding work is a loving ode to a Capra-esque world where everything always works out in the end. By the end, I had died laughing and had gone to heaven. I can only hope that Director/Producer Trish Dempsey will continue to bring such heavenly productions to the Clearwater area. Even though I traveled a great distance to get to the UUC Theater, it was well worth the price of gas! I encourage everyone to check out the work of this intrepid band of Broadway-bound artists! |
| To My Awesome Cast...... Thanks for the Memories! Trish |
| In loving memory of PRISCILLA DUBAS who passed away on December 25, 2006. |